Ditching-machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.'

LHARDESTY.

DITHING MACHINE.

No. 582,421. Patented May 1l, 1897.

' (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. HARDESTY. DITGHING MACHINE.

No. 582,421. 4Patllted May 11,1897.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet; 3.

n A. HARDESTY.

I DITGHING MACHINE. i No. 582,412.1' 1 Patented May 11, 1897..`

UNITED` STATES PATENT union.

ALEXANDER l-IARDESTY, OF PEAROEVILLE, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- THIRD TO EMILE HERBERT, OF EUNIOE, LOUISIANA.

DITCHING-IVIACHINE.l

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,421, dated May 11, 1897.

Application filed August 29, 1896. Serial No. 604,301. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ALEXANDER HARDEsT Y, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pearceville, in the parish of St. Landry and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ditching-Hachines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others Io skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in ditching and grading machines; and it consists in the several partsand novel features which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same parts are indicated by the same letters of reference throughout the 2O several views.

Figure I represents a side elevation of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 5 represents arear elevation of the same, and Fig. 4t represents a detail section taken z5 on the line 4 t of Fig. 2. j

The frame of the machine consists of the two parallel side pieces A and A", connected together by the cross-pieces A2 and A3 and by the inclined front piece A4, the lower edge of 3o which is provided with a metallic scraping edge a4. l

An inclined piece B is secured to the side piece A of the frame andis inclined upward and backward from the lower edge near the 5 5 front of the frame to the upper edge a little forward of the middle thereof. The lower front end of the piece B projects a little below the bottom of the frame and is sharpened to form a plow or cutting edge b, which in 4o operation will throw the earth upon the piece B.

A flange B' is formed along the side of the piece B to prevent the earth from falling over the side of the said piece and to guide it to 4 5 the rear end thereof, where it will fall upon a carrier D, which will now be described.

Two parallel pieces D' and D2 are arranged across the frame at right angles to the side pieces A and A', the ends on the side A eX- 5o tending below the rear end of the inclined piece B, from which place the pieces D' and D2 are inclined upwardly across the frame, their opposite ends extending some distance beyond and above the side A', as shown in Fig. 3. Between the ends of the pieces D' 55 and D2 are journaled rollers d' and d2, over which the carrier D, having slats or crosspieces d, runs.

To the lower end of the side piece D2 is secured an upright E, parallel with and corre- 6o sponding to a similar upright E', secured to the side piece A at the junction of the piece D2 therewith. In the. upper ends of the pieces E and E' is journaled a roller e, and a carrier B3, having cross pieces or slats b3, runs over the roller c and a similar roller b', journaled between the ange B' and the side piece A just over the lower end of the piece B. This carrier B3 is run, as will be hereinafter described, in the direction of the arrow, 7o and the cross-pieces thereon will move the earth up along the piece B until it falls over the rear end thereof on the carrier D. The flange B' is extended, as at B2, and secured to the upright E, the lower edge thereof being bent under, as at b2, to guide the earth to the carrier D. I

Within the frame is journaled a shaft F, carrying a wide traction wheel or drum F', having points f' around its periphery, which So points extend below the side pieces of the frame and enter the ground, causing the said traction-wheel F' and shaft F to rotate. A sprocket-wheel f is mounted on the shaft F and connected by a sprocket-chain f2 with a 85 sprocket-wheel I, loosely mounted on a shaft II, which is journaled in the frame of the machine. This sprocket-wheel I has a clutch member z', with which a clutch II', mounted to slide on the shaft II, is adapted to engage. 9o A spring h' is arranged to keep the clutch H' normally in engagement with the clutch member 1l to turn the shaft II as the machine is pulled along. Onone end of the shaft I-I is mounted a sprocket-wheel h, connected by a sprocket-chain h2 with a sprocket-wheel c' on the end of the roller e, over which runs the carrier B3. On the opposite end of the shaft H is mounted a bevel gear-wheel L, which meshes with a bevel-pinion M on a shaft M', roo journaled in suitable bearings m on the side A' of the frame.

The shaft M carries a sprocket-wheel m, from whichI a` sprocket-chain m2 `runs to a sprocket-wheel d3 on the shaft of the roller CZ', which drives the carrier D. Thus the two carriers B3 and D are driven from the shaft H when the clutch H' is in engagement with the clutch memberz' onthe sprocket-wheel I;

A bent lever N is pivotedon a. piece A5, which extends across the frame in the rear of the gearing, and one end of the said lever N is connected with the clutch lland the other end extends to within reach of the driver seated upon the seat .0.

A curved lever P is pivoted to the front part of the side A just above thev front end of the carrier B3, the forward end of which leveris bifurcated and has a roller p journaled therein. The rear end of thelever P extends rearwardly over the carrier B3 to within easy 4reach-of the driver on the seat O. *Byrlitting :the rear end of the leverf P the driver i can force the roller 1J down upon the ground and thus ease up on the plow or cutter I) to regulate theidepth of the cut.

Ascgment a.,having ratchet-teeth a', is sesured to the top edge of' .the side Aand extendsupwardly at the side of the ylever P,

and alpawl p istpivoted to the side of 'the `lever P to engage the ratchet-teethfonthe said segment and vhold the lever inan elevated position. A wire or small rod p2 is confnectedwith `'the pawls pandpasses through eyes` p3 along thewside of the lever Pto a .-handlevpi within easy reach `of the-driver,

bylmeans offwhich the pa'wlinay be pulled out of engagementwiththe teeth c onfthe segment CL to lower the lever P. A spring@5 'is arranged to keep `thepawlalwaysfin engagement with fthe teeth a on the saidsegmenta.

Beneath `the upper end ofthe carrier D is arranged a swinging chute R, (shown more clearly in Fig. 3,) and a rod R ispivoted to ion-a pin `or rod a3.

are formed inthe lower edge ofthe rod R to `the side of thesaid chuteand extends `between two uprights a2, where it is supported A series vof notches 9" engage the pin a3 and hold the chuteiinlavny desired position. The rodR terminatesfin a handle within easy reachof the driver.

S designates a drag pivoted -to the side A -of Lthe rframe and extending rearwardlybewneath the drivers seatfwhere it may be used also as afoot-restforvthe driver. `The object `of this drag is to smooth othe loose earth lleftby theplow or cutter b, andthe driver can exerta -pressureupon it with his foot when necessary. i

vrl-hefoperation of the invention is` as -fol- -fface of the ground, leavingfitsmooth,V and `push the scrapings off to the right-hand side of the machine. Atthe same timethe cutter b will enter the ground, cutting out the earth and pushing it upon the inclined piece B.

4The clutch l-I being in engagement with the clutch member i on the sprocket-wheel l, the carriers will be running and the carrier B'ri will push the earth from the cutter Z2 up the inclined piece B until it falls upon the carrier D, whichwill carry it across the machine and drop it on the right-hand side thereof, where it is received upon the chute R, which will guide itin the desired direction. This chute R maybe inclined in either direction, as

.shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, to deliver the earth toward or away from the side of the machine, thedriver having the same under control by means of therod R. Should it be desired to raise the cutter, the driver will raise the lever P, thus pushing the `roller QJ upon the ground, tendingto lift the cutter. Should it be necessary to stop the carriers, the driver `willvpull upon the bent leverN to disengage the clutch H' `from the clutch member t', and

xthus `throw the shaft H out of gear. l In moving the'device from placeto place the lever P, is lifted untilY the weight of the front end of the machine -is carried upon `the roller p and the cutting edge b is lifted clear of the ground, the lever being held in-its raised position by the pawl p engaging the toothed segment a. The clutch Il is also `thrown out of gear to stop the carriers.

Alaterally-projectin g bracket V may be secured to any convenient place on the side A `of `the frame and a roller e journaledin the outer end thereof `in` such a `position as `to .st-rikerthe ground shouldithe machine tilt over toward the left and prevent the same f rom falling over in that direction.

Onthe rear ends ofthe twosidepieces AA are provided guides a6, inwhich are arranged 4to slide vertically sleeves XV, having casterwheels 'Lu in vtheir lower ends. The two sleeves are connectedvtogether by a cross-bar lViand normally the wheels rest` upon the ground bytheir ownweight. Pivoted tothe rear cross-banAzvs a lever Y, which extends `over the cross-bar NV andmay be pressed down thereon by hand. Vhen it isdesired `to turn them-achine or to lift the sides `from lthe ground for any other purpose, the lever Y .is `pressed down `upon the cross-bar NV', thusforcingthe sleeves and caster-wheels w downwardly and `raising the `rear end ofthe machine. -A pawl y on the lever Y will engage the `teeth on a segment a7 on the cross-bar A2, and thus holdthe severalpartsin the desired position. Afwire` y extends from 4the pawl y to a handle similar to the handle p4 on thele- `ver P, but which `isnot shown in the drawings, and enablestheoperator at the endof IOO IIO

IIS

.said in clined front piece, an inclined cutter,

means for lifting the cutter and scraper above the ground,and means for delivering the earth from the inclined cutter to a carrier; of a transverse carrier, a traction-Wheel geared to the said carriers, and means for moving the machine to cause the several parts to operate, substantially as described.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination With a frame having a transversely-inclined scraping edge, an inclined cutter, a carrier moving over the said inclined cutter, and means for raising the said cutter, of a transverse carrier, a swinging chute to receive the earth from the said carrier, a traction-Wheel geared to the said carriers, and means for moving the machine to cause the several parts to operate, substantially as described.

3. In a ditching and grading machine, the combination With a frame having a transversely-inclined scraping edge, an inclined cutter, and a carrier moving over the said inclined cutter, of a transverse carrier, a traction-wheel geared to the said carriers, a clutch for throwing the said carriers in or out of gear, and means for moving the machine to cause the several parts to operate, substantially as described.

4. lIn a machine of the character described, the combination with a frame having a transversely-inclined scraping edge, an inclined cutter, a carrier moving over the said inclined cutter, a lever pivoted near the front of the frame and extending near the seat, a roller journaled in the front end of the said lever for raising the said cutter, of a transverse carrier, a traction-Wheel geared to the said carriers, means for raising the rear end of the machine, and means for moving the machine to cause the several parts to operate, substantially as described.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a frame having a transversely-inclined scraping edge, an inclined cutter, a carrier moving over the said inclined cutter, and a lever pivoted near the front of the frame and extending near the seat, a roller journaled in the front end of the said lever for raising the said cutter, of a transverse carrier, a swinging chute to receive the earth from the said carrier, a traction-Wheel geared to the said carriers, caster-Wheels arranged at the rear end of the frame to lift the same, and means for moving the machine to cause the several parts to operate, substantially as described.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a frame having a transversely-inclined scraping edge, an inclined cutter, a carrier moving over the said inclined cutter, and a lever pivoted near the front of the frame and extending near the seat, a roller journaled in the front end of the said lever for raising the said cutter, of a transverse carrier, a traction-Wheel geared to the said carrier, sleeves at the rear end of the said frame, caster-Wheels mounted in brackets to slide in the said sleeves, a lever to force the said caster-Wheels down to carry the Weight of the frame, and means for moving the machine to cause .the several parts to operate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ALEXANDER IIARDESTY.

Witnesses:

P. M. H. MCGEE, OSCAR B. COMEAU. 

